Els storms up leaderboard

Defending champion Ernie Els finally found his rhythm at Royal Melbourne today to make a third-round charge towards the top of the Heineken Classic leaderboard.

The world number two came into the tournament on the back of two wins and a second place, but had to battle to reach halfway on just two under, 10 shots off the lead.

Els felt he might have overstretched himself in playing four consecutive events but all those fears seemed unjustified as the South African leapt into a tie for fourth place on eight under for the tournament.

Els was on course for a faultless round with seven birdies, but dropped a shot on the last to leave him with a 54-hole clubhouse total of 208.

“I went out this morning, played my shots and made some good putts,” he said. “The greens are perfect, it forces you to hit solid shots into greens.

“I’m disappointed (with the bogey on 18). I was trying to get it in really close and finish with a birdie. It cost me a shot and it’s not nice to finish with a bogey.”

Els’ 66 was bettered by Englishman Brian Davis, who also blemished a potentially faultless round on the 18th to finish with a seven-under 65.

Davis’ run to the 18th included four consecutive birdies from the 10th to the 13th, having shot four under on his outward nine.

His intention was to attack the holes and risk falling on his face, but the policy paid off.

“Going out on level par you are shooting at every flag,” he said. “You are either going to shoot a low one or not today. I got off to a good start which is the key round here.

“It’s going OK this week. I’m pretty pleased.”

Nick Faldo was enjoying a bumper round, picking up three shots on successive opening holes before sinking a putt from the fringe of the ninth green for an eagle.

The six-time Major champion, who has not won a tournament in nearly six years, then birdied the 10th to move into third place on 10 under for the tournament.

Leader Paul Casey dropped an early shot on the second but recovered to birdie the third and regain his overnight score of 12 under par, though fellow Englishman David Lynn cut the lead to one shot with a birdie on the second.

Ian Poulter, who carded the best round of this year’s championship yesterday with a 64, eagled the second to move to eight under with Els, Stephen Scahill and Santiago Luna, who were on the 12th and 11th respectively.

Greg Norman finished with a three-under 69, his second in two days, to move to five under for the tournament but Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, another former Open champion, struggled to finish on two over after a 74 that included five dropped shots.